Saturday, August 4, 2012

Uncle Don

Okay - if any of the cuz are reading this, look away now... I'm about to dis you.  But you are not surprised by that.  After all. when we sang "I'm a child of god"  before we closed the casket you referenced this side of the family - when you said "hum along or not".  Grandma Morning and Mum made sure that we atented enough 'church' so I (we) at least knew that much.  But again, I say, look away.

Uncle Don's Funeral was without doubt a mormon funeral.  The obit said 'short' and I"m thinking it was a joke I didn't get. 'sall good.  There was much 'mormonising' and all that.  I know I am flip, my mom and grandma are 'turning' but whatcha gonna do.  I got enough of jebus to last me a life time.  The funeral itself was a blah, blah, blah fest for me but...

But the dedication of the grave site... was totally AWESOME!!!

Uncle Don was in the military... he followed in the footsteps of The Major.  My grandpa that died before I was born.  Mum always called him The Major, and so do I.  Uncle Don was given the full military rites at his grave site and it was so cool.

It looked like something from TV.  Military people so perfunctory.  There was a 21 gun salute. Taps was played.  Cuz that had followed in his footsteps and were military explained to those of us that weren't what was happening and why.  It was full of symbolism and ritual and I was in awe.

In the writing of this I wonder why the funeral itself, also full of symbolism and ritual, didn't touch me but the honor of being soldier did.  Something I'll have to ponder.

He was an awesome man and a really terrific uncle.  Even after mum died he never stopped being part of our lives.

I love you Uncle Don -- you rock.

PS.  Tell Jebus that that is a good thing!!

4 comments:

  1. Rest in peace, Uncle Don....rest in peace.

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  2. Uncle Don and my friend Karen (and her step-dad Don!) are hangin' out with the finest folks and livin' the good life.

    Big love, from me to you.

    (Holy crap being left behind hurts.)

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  3. I love you Julie. My sister that isn't.

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